Mattancherry Palace

Location:

10 kilometers from Ernakulam

Main Attractions:

Murals and portraits of Hindu art and craft

The
Mattancherry Palace is also known Dutch Palace of Kochi. The Portuguese
built it and they gifted it to the Maharaja of Kochi, Veera Kerala
Varma. It acquired the name "Dutch Palace" after the Dutch
renovated it in the year 1663. Now, this palace is a gallery of exotic
paintings and murals, thus signifying the rich tradition of the Hindus
through art. One can find a vast collection of paintings and portraits
of the Maharajas of Cochin. The Hindu temple art is beautifully depicted
in the form of murals in Cochin Mattancherry palace. There is a certain
medieval charm associated with the Mattancherry Palace, Kochi that lends
this place its mystical charm.

The architecture of the palace is highly influenced by the Portuguese
style of architecture. You will find two arches at the entrance of the
palace, which lead to the palace compound. This is typical of Portuguese
style of architecture. The most unique thing about this palace is that
although the style of architecture is Portugal, the construction pattern
is traditional Kerala style. The palace has two stories, which is built
around a central courtyard. This style is known as "nalukettu".
The palace has round-headed windows and doors and the typical sloping
tiled roof, thus giving it a European look.

The palace looks beautiful from inside. The interiors are beautifully
made up and one can find huge paintings and murals on the walls inside
the palace. There are two temples inside the palace, which are dedicated
to Lord Krishna and Lord Shiva. The palace has exhibits of royal
headdresses, weapons, furniture, royal robes, palanquins and other
lifestyle materials used by the royal family. The paintings depict
scenes from the epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata and the sacred
Puranas. These paintings are very old and most of them date back to the
16th Century. The paintings are massive and spread over a total area of
almost 1000 sq. ft. The palace has exquisite flooring that looks like
polished black granite but is actually made of a mixture of charcoal,
burnt coconut shells, lime, plant juices and egg whites!

How to Reach

Air
The nearest airport is Cochin airport, which is around 20 kilometers
away from here.

Rail
The nearest railway station would be Ernakulam Junction, which is
located at a distance of 10 kilometers from this place.

Roads
Ernakulam, Cochin is well connected by roads to all nearby towns and
cities.